Special Invitation

Join us for the BEST. CHRISTMAS. PAGEANT. EVER.

(I'm not kidding. The Annual L'Arche Christmas Pageant is a favourite among those who have attended it in the past. One of my friends says it's where the spirit of Christmas begins for her, and I have to agree. No one leaves without a smile.)

Come, and bring friends to share in the joy!

Sandy's Christmas Pageant

My friend Sandy* doesn't see very well. Her hearing isn't great either. But you should have heard Sandy sing last night!

At the L'Arche Christmas Pageant, Sandy joined the choir. It was a good place for her to be as she's not very steady on her feet on a darkened stage. She held onto my daughter, Christina, or Christina's friend, Jessamy, and sang her heart out. Sandy definitely knows the melodies of all those Christmas carols although her lyrics lack most consonants. Of course, her enthusiasm more than makes up for everything else!

I'm not far wrong if I say that a lot of the smiles on the choir's faces last night were due to Sandy. Every time we started to sing, she threatened to drown us out with an incredible surge of volume, but then would settle down and blend in -- a little. When 17 different language groups came up to sing Silent Night, Sandy sang her AHHHs in the background, and loudly cheered and hooted as each group concluded, like you would at a rock concert. Though it made us chuckle, it seemed right somehow -- we were building up to the crescendo of Joy to the World and Go Tell it on the Mountain, and it all worked together for the glory of God.

For me, and for many other people I spoke with during post-pageant refreshments last night, Christmas begins at the L'Arche Edmonton Christmas Pageant. Its joy and exultation is like nothing else. By the end, some of the kids in the crowd were literally bouncing off the furniture -- which, if you think about it, is the only appropriate response to God's coming to be with us!

If you missed it, there's always next year!

*I use pseudonyms for the names of my L'Arche friends.

The best little Christmas Pageant ever...

was last night, and unfortunately, I had to miss it this year. But my eldest daughter didn't, and she wrote a lovely blog post about it, which you can access by clicking here. Why not see if her little story makes you smile? I can just see it all... and her happiness is contagious.

Simple Suggestion #146 revisited... Enjoy a simple Christmas Pageant

I'm so excited! My favourite Christmas activity of the year is less than a week away -- our L'Arche Edmonton Christmas pageant! If you're in the neighbourhood and have a chance to join us (free admission, or a Food Bank donation) you won't regret it!

Christmas with friends at L'Arche is a true celebration. Last night we had our community Christmas dinner and anniversary evening, a time of fun and friendship. And the Pageant is full of the same spirit -- people who love each other having a good time together and welcoming all comers to join in. L'Arche is one place where 'the more the merrier' definitely holds.

Last year's pageant had its share of shiny angels, bedraggled bathrobe shepherds, and majestic wise men, and, of course, a beatific holy family, whose baby 'Jesus' fussed until his dad (out in the audience) tossed a pacifier to the 'midwife' (baby's mom) sitting at Mary's feet. She made a perfect, one-handed catch, and plopped the soother into the infant's mouth just as a wail began to build, much to the crowd's astonishment and amusement. Every year, it's something different, as less-than-predictable core members and babies are involved!

So if the Christmas spirit has yet to reach your heart and home, come join us for a joyful and uplifting celebration, followed by snacks and the L'Arche Christmas craft sale. All are welcome!

You're invited to the best little Christmas pageant...

Once again, L'Arche Edmonton will be performing its Annual Christmas Pageant, and everyone is invited to come and participate. Of all the Christmas activities out there, this is my favourite!

Our community of people with and without disabilities acts out the Christmas story from Luke's gospel, we sing many carols with an excellent group of musicians, and you just never know how the Spirit will move... We also collect food for Edmonton's Food Bank, and offer a lovely little Christmas Craft Sale as we serve delicious hot apple cider and Christmassy treats.

It's always a joyful and uplifting evening, and a wonderful part of Advent. If you're in the neighbourhood on December 16th (two weeks from today), please join us!

Simple Suggestion #146... Enjoy a simple Christmas Pageant

I'm posting this Simple Suggestion from work today because I needed a picture to go with it (I wrote the text last night). I don't usually get into Christmas ideas until we've at least reached Advent (December 1st this year), but I'll share this a bit early because some people have already been calling to ask about our simple Christmas pageant. Others will be able to find it on Google if I moodle about it.

Every year our L'Arche Edmonton community stages the best Christmas pageant ever -- a simple retelling of the birth of Jesus with lots of carolling. It's my favourite Christmas event every year -- seeing our people with and without disabilities working together to perform a Christmas play that is always touching and unique. The picture above is last year's -- two of our core members as Mary and Joseph, and the mom of "baby Jesus" settling him into the arms of a delighted Mary, who cooed and cuddled and kept him happy until his twin brother took a turn. As I think back on the pageants I've attended, I remember the different people and the specialness they brought to the roles of holy family, shepherds, kings, angels and inkeepers... and for me, it just wouldn't be Christmas without everyone singing Silent Night in as many different languages as our community holds.

So if you're in the neighbourhood on December 17th, you're invited to come to St. Thomas D'Aquin Catholic Church (8410 89 Street in Edmonton) at 7 p.m. for possibly the most Christmassy hour or two you'll ever spend. Bring a friend or three, a little non-perishable something for the Food Bank, and a few dollars in case you feel like buying a craft from our Day Program Craft Sale. All are welcome!

And if you don't live nearby, watch your local papers, community announcements or school notice boards and enjoy a Christmas pageant in your area. In a world where radio and TV stations only seem to play "holiday tunes" and "seasonal specials," it's a treat to hear real Christmas carols and watch a real Christmas play unfold before your eyes... I can't wait!

What you may or may not have missed

I hope you were there, but if you weren't, the L'Arche Christmas Pageant this year was as beautiful as ever. Joseph and Mary arrived with the donkey attached to the back of Joseph's wheelchair. He was a very proud father, and gratefully thanked participants who came to the manger to leave gifts (food bank donations) for baby Jesus. Mary was delighted with her little baby, played by the twin six-month old sons of one of our assistants. Mary held on to Jesus, made faces at him, talked quietly to him, and completely enjoyed him as we sang carols and watched the shepherds, angels and magi play their roles in the ancient story. And Jesus watched Mary, yawned, closed his eyes for a few minutes' snooze, and fed from a bottle Mary offered him. The music was wonderful, and the gentle gifts of presence, acceptance and love offered by our people with disabilities filled the room with the incredible spirit of Christmas.

This pretty much sums up why I love L'Arche so much. It's a community that understands, from deep within, that, no matter our abilities or disabilities, we are all beloved by God.